Video game apparatus and image synthesizing method thereof

• US 6,582,230 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Games Inc (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takeyasu, Aoshima, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/835,391
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/2, 463/5-7, 463/9, 463/30-33, 463/35, 463/36, 463/49, 463/53, 273/317, 273/108, 273/236, 273/237, 434/118, 434/307.R, 345/700, 345/705-717, 706/11, 706/45-47, 706/58, 706/902, 706/911
• US Class Current: 434/118
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/307 for displaying an additional window with a view from the top of the game field, e.g. radar screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

There is provided a game apparatus which can display an advice data appropriate to the sate of game development and player'"'"'s operation so that the player can master a high-level and complicated game while playing the game.

The game apparatus has a control section through which the player plays the game and a game computing section for computing the game and displaying a game image on a display, based on an operation signal from the control section.

The game computing section computes and outputs advice data depending on the state of game on the display.

Claims

1. A method of generating operation advice, comprising:

computing a game in accordance with an operation signal from a game operating device, operated by a player, and a predetermined game program to display a game image on a display; and

generating advice data for the player depending on a state of the game, including judging an operational state of the game operating device from an operational history of the player, automatically generating an operation advice image of the game operating device, and displaying the operation advice image on the display depending on the operational state,

wherein the operational state includes a state of an opponent and the operation advice includes information designed to assist in defeating the opponent based in part on the state of the opponent.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating advice data further includes computing advice data depending on a state of the game to display an advice image.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

said game operating device comprises;

steering means for steering a player'"'"'s object which moves in a game space, and

attacking means actuatable by the player for attacking an enemy or target;

computing the game further comprises;

computing a three-dimensional game space in which the player'"'"'s object moves and attacks said enemy or target in accordance with an operational signal from said game operating device and a predetermined game program, and

synthesizing a pseudo three-dimensional image which is obtained when said three-dimensional game space is viewed from a given viewpoint to display said pseudo three-dimensional image on the display as a game image; and

generating advice data further comprises;

storing advice data which advises the player how to operate at least one of said steering means and said attacking means as dynamic image data in different states of the game as advice data, and

judging a state of the game, wherein advice data appropriate to the state of the game is read out from said data storage means and displayed as a dynamic image.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising producing sounds for the game, wherein generating advice data includes computing advice data depending on a state of the game to generate advice sounds.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein generating advice data further includes storing advice data for operating said game operating device as dynamic image data, and reading the advice data appropriate to the operational state and displaying operation of the game operating device as a dynamic image.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising displaying said advice data in a window in a game image.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising displaying said advice data in a window in a game image.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating advice data further comprises judging a state of the game to generate judging data and automatically generating an advice image which advises the player how to proceed with the game depending on the judging data.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein generating advice data further includes judging data of gauges used in the game to select advice data appropriate to gauge data.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising producing sounds for the game, wherein generating advice data includes computing advice data depending on a state of the game to generate advice sounds.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating advice data further comprises judging data of gauges used in the game to select advice data appropriate to the gauge data.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating advice data further comprises judging data of gauges used in the game, and automatically generating an advice image which advises the player on a current state of a gauge and displays the advice image on the display depending on the judging data.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said game operating device comprises an advice deciding means for the player to decide whether advice display is required or not.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein computing the game proceeds with the game without interruption when an advice image is being displayed.

15. The method according to claim 1, further including:

stopping the game when an advice image is being displayed, and restarting the game when an advice terminating means is operated during advice display.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating advice data includes limiting the display of identical advice images to a given number of times.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said game operating device comprises;

steering means for steering a player'"'"'s object which moves in a game space,

attacking means actuatable by the player for attacking an enemy or target;

computing the game further comprises;

computing a three-dimensional game space in which the player'"'"'s object moves and attacks said enemy or target in accordance with an operational signal from said game operating device and a predetermined game program, and

synthesizing a pseudo three-dimensional image which is obtained when said three-dimensional game space is viewed from a given viewpoint to display said pseudo three-dimensional image on the display as a game image; and

generating advice data further comprises;

storing advice data which advises the player how to operate at least one of said steering means and said attacking means as dynamic image data, and

judging a state of the game, wherein advice data appropriate to the state of the game is read out from said data storage means and displayed as a dynamic image.

18. A method of generating operation advice for a video game, comprising:

generating a game in accordance with an operation signal from a game operating device, operated by a player, and a predetermined game program to display a game image on a display; and

computing advice data for the player depending on a state of the game, including judging data of gauges used in the game, automatically generating an advice image which advises the player on a current state of a gauge and displaying the advice image on the display depending on the judging data.

19. A method of generating operation advice for video game apparatus, comprising:

computing a game in accordance with an operation signal from a game operating device, operated by a player, and a predetermined game program to display a game image on a display; and

automatically generating advice data for the player depending on a state of the game, wherein displaying of identical advice images is limited to a predetermined number of times.

20. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling a data processor, the recording medium including instructions for causing the data processor to:

compute a game in accordance with an operation signal from a game operating device, operated by a player, and a predetermined game program to display a game image on a display; and

generate advice data for the player depending on a state of the game, including judging an operational state of the game operating device from an operational history of the player, automatically generating an operation advice image of the game operating device, and displaying the operation advice image on the display depending on the operational state,

wherein the state of the game includes a state of an opponent and the advice data includes information designed to assist in defeating the opponent based in part on the state of the opponent.

21. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data depending on a state of the game to display an advice image.

22. The recording medium according to claim 21, wherein:

said game operating device comprises;

steering means for steering a player'"'"'s object which moves in a game space, and

attacking means actuatable by the player for attacking an enemy or target;

the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to;

computing a three-dimensional game space in which the player'"'"'s object moves and attacks said enemy or target in accordance with an operational signal from said game operating device and a predetermined game program;

synthesize a pseudo three-dimensional image which is obtained when said three-dimensional game space is viewed from a given viewpoint to display said pseudo three-dimensional image on the display as a game image;

store advice data which advises the player how to operate at least one of said steering means and said attacking means as dynamic image data in different states of the game as advice data; and

judge a state of the game, wherein advice data appropriate to the state of the game is read out from said data storage means and displayed as a dynamic image.

23. The recording medium according to claim 21, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data by computing advice data depending on a state of the game to generate advice sounds.

24. The recording medium according to claim 21, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to store advice data for operating said game operating device as dynamic image data, and read the advice data appropriate to the operational state and display operation of the game operating device as a dynamic image.

25. The recording medium according to claim 24, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to display said advice data in a window in a game image.

26. The recording medium according to claim 21, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to display said advice data in a window in a game image.

27. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data by judging a state of the game to generate judging data and automatically generating an advice image which advises the player how to proceed with the game depending on the judging data.

28. The recording medium according to claim 27, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data by judging data of gauges used in the game to select advice data appropriate to gauge data.

29. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data by computing advice data depending on a state of the game to generate advice sounds.

30. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data by judging data of gauges used in the game to select advice data appropriate to the gauge data.

31. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data by judging data of gauges used in the game, and automatically generating an advice image which advises the player on a current state of a gauge and displays the advice image on the display depending on the judging data.

32. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to decide whether advice display is required or not.

33. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to proceed with the game without interruption when an advice image is being displayed.

34. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to:

stop the game when an advice image is being displayed, and restart the game when an advice terminating means is operated during advice display.

35. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to generate advice data by limiting the display of identical advice images to a given number of times.

36. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein:

said game operating device comprises;

steering means for steering a player'"'"'s object which moves in a game space,

attacking means actuatable by the player for attacking an enemy or target; and

the recording medium further includes instructions for causing the data processor to;

compute a three-dimensional game space in which the player'"'"'s object moves and attacks said enemy or target in accordance with an operational signal from said game operating device and a predetermined game program,

synthesize a pseudo three-dimensional image which is obtained when said three-dimensional game space is viewed from a given viewpoint to display said pseudo three-dimensional image on the display as a game image;

store advice data which advises the player how to operate at least one of said steering means and said attacking means as dynamic image data; and

judge a state of the game, wherein advice data appropriate to the state of the game is read out from said data storage means and displayed as a dynamic image.

37. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling a data processor, the recording medium including instructions for causing the data processor to:

generate a game in accordance with an operation signal from a game operating device, operated by a player, and a predetermined game program to display a game image on a display; and

compute advice data for the player depending on a state of the game, including judging data of gauges used in the game, automatically generating an advice image which advises the player on a current state of a gauge and displaying the advice image on the display depending on the judging data.

38. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling a data processor, the recording medium including instructions for causing the data processor to:

compute a game in accordance with an operation signal from a game operating device, operated by a player, and a predetermined game program to display a game image on a display; and

automatically generate advice data for the player depending on a state of the game, wherein displaying of identical advice images is limited to a predetermined number of times.